MITRA Forum Question Details

According to Kremer’s data sheet, the AM should have 62% oil which should be enough to prevent the almost immediate setting that you describe. Perhaps the problem is that the solvent evaporates too quickly for you, leaving a too dense solution. Have you tried adding a slower evaporating solvent?  Perhaps others can comment.

After looking up the evaporation of the solvent D40, this appears to be the problem. 90% of D40 will have evaporated after a few seconds.

​The 1st generation of alkyd artists' colors were described as rubbery. Current formulas include significantly more oil than when the product was first introduced, and workability is much improved. 

I wonder if your results would be better if the pigment were introduced as a wet paste with solvent and oil first, and alkyd subsequently added to the paste, rather than starting with the alkyd medium and adding oil later, after the paint body has already become too stiff.

It would seem that one could simply add about 35% of a slow evaporating MS to the paint as you are mixing it. Continue mixing until the D40 evaporates and you should have a serviceable paint. The only issue would be if there is an azeotrope relationship between the D40 and your added slower evaporating MS.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azeotrope